Domaine Rapet, Beaune 1er Cru, 'Clos des Champs Pimont' 2022

From a spectacularly good vintage, from a brilliant producer and from only one, walled, Premier Cru vineyard, this wine has a very fine billing on paper. 

I'd almost throw that paper away, because this is a wine that almost defies categorisation. It is, for one thing, very rare to find Beaune Blanc, secondly it's very rare to find one from a Premier Cru site, but really, the quality of this wine is just incredible. It could be a stand-alone representative for white wine for the whole of the Burgundy region - it's like a crossing of the richness from Meursault with the balance and precision of Montrachets. More complex than Saint Aubin and certainly a reason to ask: why don't they make more white wines in this region?

It's a wonderful and plentiful vintage too - the 2022 followed from a small, cold vintage with near-perfect ripening conditions and for those wineries able to exercise excellence, it really paid off. This is a super example of that winning combination of excellent weather and considerable experience in the vineyard.

Classically full of ripe apple notes with fine acidity balanced by broad flavours of lightly roasted cashew, nutmeg and a lift of melon and herbs on the finish. This wine will age and develop creamy notes on its amply-textured body. Delicious.

The Rapet family have earned significant levels of respect for seriously high-quality levels in both red and white disciplines. Those who claim to detest Chardonnay will be wowed; those who turn their back on "oak" will be pawing for a second and third glass.